What Order Should I Follow To Buy Woodworking Tools?

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.”

Abraham Lincoln.

If you want to start a new business or any other activities, the mentioned quotation may help you as it makes a significant sense of preparation for something. So it is essential for someone to be well prepared for what he or she wants to do. If you want to be a thriving woodworker, you should have proper preparation for the woodworking tools you are going to use in your shop.

With the development of modern technologies, so many flexible tools are available for woodworking. You can find varieties of woodworking tools, but all tools are not essentially recommended for you at first. Are you a beginner? If so, you can find something useful in my discussion of what order you should follow to buy woodworking tools for your projects.

What Order Should I Buy Woodworking Tools As A Beginner?

Woodworking tools can be categorized in some classes based on their capabilities and the way they are used. The kinds of tools you should know are the cutting tools, finishing tools, assembling tools, measuring tools, and holding tools. These classifications cover almost all types of woodworking tools for a beginner to make simple to complex items.

Cutting Tools That The Beginners Should Buy

What do you think that an artisan should start with? I think you will agree with me. It’s nothing but the cutting of woods. Some of the tools are:

Hand saw

Many technologies have been developed through the years for woodworking projects, but a hand saw is still a must-use tool for Woodworkers. Before keeping your hand on professional power saws, hand saws will give you a breakthrough in developing your skill. It is so affordable and easy-to-use that it is hard to find any woodworkers who don’t have a hand saw. You have to invest the amount you can afford to have the best quality hand saws, however.

Circular Saw

A circular saw is a very useful woodworking tool for keeping in your shop. It is a tool that will make the process of cutting wood, plastics, or metal easier with its blades. Mainly, you can use it for straight cuts, and you will be getting more accurate cuts with it. The circular saw will make your work more effective, flexible, and more necessarily, it will reduce your time of working as it is called a versatile tool with a wide range of blades to handle multiple tasks.

Jigsaw

Jigsaw, a unique tool, can be used for cutting curves, making holes on different woods, materials, and bevel cuts. It is unique in the sense that you can use it to create curves that are very difficult to get with other saws. If you want to have a good result from the tool, you have to use a proper blade suited to the Jigsaw. This tool is quite impressive for decorative patterns on different furniture. If you are thinking of investing in a Jigsaw, it will not be a wrong decision as a beginner, I think.

Miter Saw

Sometimes you may need to cut your material at a variety of angles. It will be very flexible for you if you have a Miter saw. These tools are mainly used to make fast and controlled cuts in woods or other materials. It ensures high accuracy with its large spinning blades. A Miter saw will allow you repeatable cuts. It is undoubtedly a helpful tool for you in your woodworking projects.

Table Saw

Most of the woodshops are centered on the table saw as it is one of the most useful tools, and it is very costly too. It works like a miter saw but is more effective in the case of larger cuttings. You should always keep in mind that the table saw is a large investment, and it depends on the projects you are going to start.

Band Saw

You must buy a band saw for your woodworking projects if you need an irregular or curved shaped cut even in thick lumber. It can be used for ripping lumber into thinner plates, but it is well known to every woodworker for cutting irregular shapes. If you are a hand tool woodworker, you are quite self-sufficient without a band saw, but this can aid you the most in your work.

Again this tool is a combination of circular saw and saber saw with many sizes. However, the size depends on the stock you have in your woodshop.

Finishing Tools That The Beginners Should Buy

Now you need to present the wood pieces you cut with the above tools in an attractive and finished appearance. You have to consider some investments for filing, planing, and sanding supplies in your woodwork projects. Some of the tools are:

Planes

A rough piece of lumber can be shaped by plane. It is used to make the rough wood smooth and to reduce thickness. You may have heard the name of several planes. Jack plane, Rabbet plane and block plane, etc., are some of the hand planes you can buy. They are used in different circumstances.

Orbital sander

One of the best finishing tools for your woodworking projects is an orbital sander. The tool can be used for sanding the surface of the wood without any marks. A regular orbital sander is not more useful than a random orbital sander. The random orbital sander may be the best choice for your projects.

Hand Files

Most of the time, a woodworker needs to shape and smooth woods for his projects. Hand files can be much better than any other tool to shape and smooth woods. Again, you can use hand files to sharpen your other woodworking blades and bits.

Wood Router

Routing of woods is an important step for the Woodworkers in their woodworking projects. If you want to join one plank of wood with another without compromising strength, you need special cuts like dovetail or dados. So you may buy a wood router for your shops to hollow out an area in the wood to get those unique cuts. It can also be used for decorative patterns and cutting out of fancy edges.

Assembling Tools That The Beginners Should Buy

Assembling is required in the woodworking process after the successful completion of cutting and smoothing. You have to buy some right tools for assembling purposes. Some essential assembling tools are:

Hammer

For the woodworkers, a hammer plays a beneficial role in pound and pry. Hammer is, therefore, a must-have tool to the woodworkers. Before you Purchase a hammer, you have to be clear of the purposes of using the hammers because hammers vary in purpose.

Based on the power source, you will find there are two types of hammers. One is a nail gun or power-operated hammer, and the other is a hand-held hammer. Nail guns are a little tricky but easy to use and comfortable for beginners. When you have to nail multiple nailers for your projects, power nailers will be the best choice. You may have a look at some of the power hammers/nailers below-

  • Framing nailers: These tools will help you for faster mounting in long strips. Usually, it is used to handle large woodworks or construction projects. If you are setting up frames and using heavy-duty lumbers to build houses or floor decking or outdoor fencing, it should be in your toolbox.
  • Finishing nailers: To create a much more reliable hold, finishing nailers can be used to attach heavy baseboards, cabinets, or other finish carpentry works. It comes with straight and angled designs.
  • Brad nailers: Many of the woodworkers may be confused with a finish nailer and a brad nailer. A brad nailer is useful for small woodworking projects. It is used to shoot thinner nails and is also ideal for thin wood that are you worried about splitting. To get more clear views, you can read the article on the finish nailer vs brad nailer, too.

Mallet

Many people become a little bit confused with a hammer and a mallet. Both tools are used in woodworking projects. A mallet is preferable for Woodworkers as it gives a softened knock. Mallets are perfect for tapping wood joints together, leaving no striking marks. You will find the mallets handier in case of working with chisels.

Drill Driver

You can make holes in the woods or any other materials by using a drill. An electric power drill can be the best choice for you. Some of the old times woodworkers still use a hand drill.

In modern times, there are two types of power drill – corded and cordless drill, are become famous for any wooden use. I prefer corded drills as it has more runtime than the cordless one.

Screw Gun

By buying a power screw gun, you will be benefited when you have a job with multiple screws. You may be confused by a screw gun with a drill. Screw guns are designed only for driving screws with a nose instead of a chuck where the drills have a chuck to drill.

Measuring Tools That The Beginners Should Buy

An accurate measurement is highly appreciated in woodworking projects. If there is any problem in measuring woods, the workpiece will not be perfect. The wrong measurement even turns your piece of wood into a waste. Some measuring tools should the beginners buy are:

Measurement Tape And Ruler

Measurement is vital in every craftsmanship. So you should at least buy a measuring tape and a ruler to have an accurate measure of your Workpieces.

Squares

A square gives you the scope to verify all sorts of angels. Your wood workshop will remain incomplete without a square. Many squares are used to measure woods. Framing square, try square, miter square, bevel square are some of them.

Some Other Tools The Beginners Should Buy

There are some other tools that will help you to hold the wood after completing the above-mentioned procedure. These are known as holding tools. Sawhorses and quality workbench are the most important among them.

Workbench

A workbench plays a vital role in performing different types of woodworking processes in your work. This is one of the universal basic tools for every woodworker or artisan. Workbench may be of different styles. It depends on the types of jobs to be done or the wood worker’s way of working. You can hold your workpieces on a workbench while they are worked with other tools.

Sawhorses

A bulk of four legs used to support long lumber length and heavyweights is called a sawhorse. Sawhorses are very useful and important for beginners in their woodworking projects. You can make your own sawhorses by Woods in your shop. Besides, you will find so many sawhorses in the market.

In What Order Should I Buy Woodworking Tools For The Advanced Level?

If you can afford the basic tools and the tools for beginners, then you can go for the advanced level. These advanced-level tools may speed up your projects and make you more skilled and confident in your working process.

You may aspire to get some advanced level tools when you are able to invest some of your funds to expand your woodworking projects’ capabilities and comfort. In that case, it will be my hearty recommendation to look at these advanced-level tools.

Air Cleaner

An air cleaner will help you to work more comfortably by filtering the air. There is a huge amount of dust in woodworking projects. So the installation of an air cleaner will make your breath more spontaneous, and it will give you a comfortable work environment.

Wood Lathe

A lathe can be in your tool list if you intend to make carved or spindle-shaped furniture legs. You will find a wood lathe very capable of manipulating a wooden workpiece. This tool may give you extra charm in your projects.

Jointer

For your woodworking projects, a jointer can be used as an advanced level tool. It straightens and squares an edge of the wood surface. Though it is not a very necessary tool for your woodshop, it will make you happy by saving time. If you can afford to invest a little more, then you can buy a planner with it.

Belt Sander

You must be known that sanding is a very important step in the process of woodworking projects. A belt sander reduces the effort in sanding. This tool is very effective in shaping and finishing wood and other materials.

Dust Collector

Dust is a common fact in every woodworking project, especially when you use a saw, router, or sander. But you can get rid of dust by having a dust collector. The main purpose of a dust collector is to collect the dust from the place you are cutting wood. Many of the tools of your woodshop come with the extension of a dust collector.

Bench-Top Mortiser

To lessen your time at mortising and tenon joints, you can buy a bench-top woodworking machine. It can make the mortising and tendon joints super quickly and reduces your efforts.

Still, if you’re in confusion, then you can check out the video review made by Jason Bent, a famous woodworker below, to get more light on this topic.

Conclusion

I have just attempted a little bit to make you introduce the tools needed for your woodworking projects. I think this will must help you a lot to start your business with some important knowledge of your tools.

Related Reviews:

  1. Best cordless framing nailer reviews and buying guide.
  2. Best Router Bits Review and Buying Guide.
  3. All You Need to Know About Different Types of Nail Guns.
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Tushar Mirror

Toolsmirror is a group of co-fighters led by Engr. Tushar is dedicated to gathering information, analyzing & test various items, and releasing reviews on various woodwork and outdoor tools. Our mission is to provide our readers with the most up-to-date ideas and approaches, as well as reveal the genuine features that will assist them in selecting the best items for their professions and DIY projects.

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